To date, A Storm of Swords is the longest novel in the series. It was so long that in the UK its paperback edition was split in half, Part 1 being published as Steel and Snow in June 2001 (with the one-volume cover) and Part 2 as Blood and Gold in August 2001 (with a specially-commissioned new cover). In France, the decision was made to cut the novel into four separate editions.

Meisha Merlin, who had previously issued limited, illustrated editions of both A Game of Thrones and A Clash of Kings, were planning to release a similar version for A Storm of Swords in two volumes. However, lengthy delays on the release of A Clash of Kings caused Meisha Merlin to lose the printing rights for the book, which were picked up by Subterranean Press instead. This edition, fully illustrated by Charles Vess, was released in the summer of 2006.

A Storm of Swords is also the name of the second expansion to the board game A Game of Thrones, released in July 2006.

The novel has been placed as the number 1 rated book at the Internet Book List since a revision of the rating system in October 2005. This list is derived from the votes of Internet Book List registered users.

Plot introduction

A Storm of Swords is set in a fictitious world reminiscent of medieval Europe (primarily on a continent called Westeros), except for the fact that in this world, seasons can last for years, sometimes decades.

The novel begins in the final months of 299 AC and carries on into 300 AC.

In the Seven Kingdoms

The North / The Riverlands

UK hardcover edition of A Storm of Swords

Brienne of Tarth escorts Jaime Lannister from Riverrun by boat, Jaime having been released at Catelyn's order. Brienne is to take Jaime back to King's Landing and ensure that Sansa and Arya Stark are returned in his place. They are pursued by Tully bannermen, but evade them. Jaime spends most of his time insulting Brienne, despite her great size and strength with a sword. They are forced to abandon the Red Fork and take to the countryside of the riverlands. Near Maidenpool they are waylaid by mercenaries from Essos known as the Brave Companions (in the service of the Starks, having swapped sides from the Lannisters) and taken to Harrenhal, which is now under their command. The Companions find Jaime's position as a captive to be highly amusing and their commander, Vargo Hoat, orders Jaime's sword hand to be hacked off to send a message to Tywin Lannister, on their way to Harrenhal. Roose Bolton arrives back at the castle and is unimpressed with the Brave Companions' activities. He agrees to return Jaime to King's Landing and sends him on, with compliments to Lord Tywin. This strikes Jaime as a highly odd thing for a loyal Stark bannerman to do. As he leaves, Jaime offhandedly says, "Send Robb Stark my regards." Bolton hands over Brienne to the Brave Companions to ransom her for the promised sapphires or to do with her as they pleased. He leaves Harrenhal subsequently, leaving Vargo Hoat as Lord of Harrenhal. Hoat throws Brienne into the bear pit; from where she is rescued by Jaime with the help of Bolton's men, when he comes back for her. They head back for King's Landing.

Robb Stark's army returns to Riverrun in triumph, having smashed several Lannister forces in the westerlands and won great victories. However, Robb is furious with his uncle, Ser Edmure Tully, whose Battle of the Fords prevented Lord Tywin's army from marching into the west. Robb's plan was for Tywin to come west and into a trap Robb was preparing, which would have kept Tywin from intervening at the Battle of the Blackwater. Catelyn is horrified when Robb reveals that he has married Jeyne Westerling of the Crag, violating his oath of betrothal to House Frey. Robb claims he had no choice when Jeyne offered him 'comfort' after he learned of the capture of Winterfell and the supposed deaths of Bran and Rickon. The situation of the Stark and Tully armies is poor, with the combined Tyrell-Lannister host far outnumbering their own and the Greyjoys barring the way home, not to mention the loss of the footmen at Duskendale. Nevertheless, Robb has a new plan to outflank and take Moat Cailin from the Greyjoys and allow them to return to the north. Unfortunately, the riverlords will have to fight on for themselves. Catelyn agrees to this plan, but it hinges on winning the support of the Freys once more, which they are now unlikely to give. Robb is angry that Catelyn let Jaime go, but cunningly uses her guilt at this in order to get her to agree to him naming Jon Snow, his half-brother, as his heir. Not long after this, Lord Hoster Tully finally dies and Edmure becomes Lord of Riverrun.

Robb Stark's host, now reinforced by Lord Roose Bolton's army from Harrenhal, reaches the Twins and Robb parleys with Lord Walder Frey. The Lord of the Crossing agrees to forgive Robb on the condition that Lord Edmure Tully weds one of his grand-daughters in Robb's place. Edmure's new bride, Roslin Frey, turns out to be an attractive and gentle woman, which Catelyn finds confusing. Walder Frey, known for his tetchiness, could easily have forced Edmure to marry a lackwit or an ugly girl instead. The wedding celebration is held and a great party takes place afterwards. Suddenly, the musicians produce crossbows and proceed to fire into the Stark supporters. The Boltons and Freys produce arms and cut down many of the Stark bannermen present, killing Dacey Mormont and Smalljon Umber among them. Catelyn takes Jinglebell, one of Walder's grandsons, hostage with a knife and threatens to kill him should Robb be harmed, but a man in armor and helm, wearing the colors of House Bolton, cuts Robb down anyway, saying "Jaime Lannister sends his regards." Catelyn kills her hostage, but in turn is restrained and her throat is cut.

Arya has a strange dream that she is actually her long-missing direwolf, Nymeria, who now leads a huge pack of wolves in the riverlands. She dreams of Nymeria finding a corpse floating in the Green Fork south of the Twins and pulling it ashore, only to flee as a group of men approach.

Arya and Sandor Clegane run afoul of some of the Mountain's men within the inn at the crossroads. There is a fight and the freeriders are killed, but Sandor is wounded. Arya leaves him dying under a tree and goes to the nearby port town of Saltpans, on the Trident. She finds a ship from the Free City of Braavos there, but they refuse to take her north. She pulls out the coin Jaqen H'ghar gave her and the ship crew suddenly become more cooperative. They will not take her north, but do agree to take her with them to Braavos beyond the narrow sea.

The South / King's Landing

Davos Seaworth is washed ashore on one of the spears of the merling king in Blackwater Bay, having been nearly killed in the epic Battle of the Blackwater. He is found by Salladhor Saan's men who are loyal to Stannis Baratheon and taken back to Dragonstone. Along the way Davos comes to blame the red priestess, Melisandre, for Stannis's defeat and resolves to murder her. Upon his arrival he is immediately locked up for treason: Melisandre saw his intent in her flames. Melisandre talks to Davos and reveals that Stannis was defeated because she was not at the battle (at his bannermen's request), and asks for Davos simply to be true to his king. She also tells him that there are not seven gods but two: R'hllor, Lord of Light and Fire, and his enemy, the Great Other, Lord of Darkness, whose war has raged since the dawn of time. Stannis releases Davos and asks him to serve as his Hand of the King. Davos agrees and begins to learn to read and write to better fulfill his office.

King's Landing rejoices for their deliverance from the threat of Stannis, and the Tyrells are welcomed as liberators. King Joffrey I Baratheon agrees to set aside his betrothal to Sansa Stark, daughter of a House attainted of treason, and promises to marry Lady Margaery Tyrell instead. Sansa's joy at this turn of events is short-lived when she is married to Tyrion Lannister instead. Tyrion was badly injured in the battle, losing his nose and suffering other wounds to his face, but he treats Sansa gently and refuses to sleep with her against her will. Tyrion himself is unimpressed with the turn of events, particularly as his father, Tywin Lannister, has taken up his role as Hand, reducing Tyrion to an advisory role, although he is later made master of coin to replace Petyr Baelish (who has been named Lord of Harrenhal for his role in securing the Lannister-Tyrell alliance). Despite the victory, the Tullys and Starks remain a threat in the north, but Robb Stark has erred in sending his footmen down towards Duskendale to threaten the capital. Lord Mace Tyrell's most seasoned and feared battle commander, Lord Randyll Tarly, leads an army against the northmen and destroys them, shattering more than a third of Robb Stark's strength. Balon Greyjoy, styling himself King of the Isles and the North, sends an offer of an alliance but Tywin spurns it, as he has another plan that does not involve selling off half the realm. He refuses to tell Tyrion what he is plotting.

On Dragonstone Davos meets Edric Storm, one of the late King Robert I Baratheon's many bastards, whom Stannis is keeping safe from the Lannisters. Davos is horrified to learn that Melisandre wants to sacrifice Edric and his royal blood to her fires to awaken the 'stone dragons', which she thinks are the great statues that guard the castle. Stannis rejects this decision and instead gives some of his blood to the fires instead, naming the names of three men that he wants dead: Balon Greyjoy, Joffrey Baratheon and Robb Stark.

Petyr Baelish, called Littlefinger, fresh from his diplomatic victory in gaining the alliance of the Tyrells and the titular Lord of Harrenhal (although his castle is in the hands of Roose Bolton), departs King's Landing for the Eyrie with a new scheme, namely to woo the widowed Lady Lysa Arryn into marriage and agreeing to support King Joffrey. Tyrion is suspicious of Littlefinger's growing power but is no longer in a position to stop him.

Word reaches King's Landing of the death of King Robb Stark at the Red Wedding, closely followed by news that King Balon Greyjoy has died as well, swept over a bridge at Pyke by a strong wave. Joffrey is exultant, particularly keen on the gory detail that Robb's direwolf's head was sewn on his body, and Catelyn Stark's body was hurled naked into the Green Fork. Margaery and Joffrey's wedding is held, but Joffrey spends more time tormenting his uncle Tyrion than paying attention to his wife during the wedding feast. Suddenly Joffrey starts choking and dies in a fit on the floor. Tyrion suspects poison and inspects Joffrey's goblet before realizing he could be blamed for the crime. He throws the goblet away, but is seen by several witnesses. His sister, Queen Cersei Lannister, has him arrested and put on trial. Sansa Stark is smuggled out of the castle by Littlefinger, who had secretly returned to the crownlands. He also tells her that he was responsible for Joffrey's death.

Davos learns to read and write. One of the letters he receives is from the Night's Watch, who sent missives to all the kings begging for aid against Mance Rayder and the wights. Davos is disturbed by the letter. The success of Melisandre's spell has convinced Stannis to sacrifice Edric Storm to the flames to wake the dragons. However, Davos smuggles Edric to safety. Stannis prepares to execute Davos for treason, but Davos is allowed to read the letter that lately arrived from the Wall. The news stuns Stannis and Melisandre.

Jaime and Brienne reach King's Landing to find the situation volatile. Joffrey's brother, Tommen, has been acclaimed king, but not crowned yet. Tyrion is on trial and the Tyrell bannermen blame Brienne for King Renly's death, particularly Renly's close friend, Ser Loras Tyrell. She is thrown in a tower cell, at Jaime's behest. Jaime takes up the position of Lord Commander of the Kingsguard and finds that his journey and the loss of his hand has made him more willing to fulfill his duties. He refuses his father when he offers to remove him from the Kingsguard and make him heir to Casterly Rock, and refuses to believe Cersei's claims that Tyrion killed Joffrey. He rejects her advances, deciding to remain true to his vows.

Tyrion decides to risk all in his trial. Prince Oberyn Martell of Dorne, who is in the city representing his brother Doran, Prince of Dorne, harbors a desire for vengeance against Gregor Clegane, who killed and raped his sister Elia (the wife of Prince Rhaegar Targaryen) and her children during the Sack of King's Landing. When Tyrion chooses trial by battle, Cersei appoints Gregor as her champion and Oberyn takes Tyrion's part. The battle is fought and Oberyn apparently emerges victorious after knocking the giant Gregor down with a poisoned spear. Unfortunately, he spends too much time demanding Gregor's confession and Gregor kills him. Tyrion is condemned to death, but escapes with the help of Jaime and Varys. On his way out of the Red Keep, Jaime reveals that Tyrion's first wife, Tysha, had not been a prostitute, as their father had told him, but had actually been a crofter's daughter. Tyrion sees this as unforgivable betrayal from both his father and his brother. Stopping at his father's chamber in the Tower of the Hand, Tyrion coldly shoots Tywin through the groin with a crossbow before leaving on a ship provided by Varys, which takes him across the narrow sea.

Jaime frees Brienne, giving her one of the two swords Lord Tywin had reforged out of Eddard Stark's Valyrian steel blade. Ice. He tells her to fulfill the oath he gave to Lady Catelyn, to find Arya and Sansa and return them home. He also tells her that the real reason he betrayed his oath and murdered King Aerys II Targaryen was because Aerys had hidden wildfire barrels all over the capital and planned to destroy the city during the Sack of King's Landing. He carried out his most infamous act to save the innocent, not that anyone would believe him. Brienne departs on her quest.

At the Eyrie, Sansa lives in fear of her increasingly psychotic aunt, who eventually goes mad and tries to kill her. Lysa reveals that Littlefinger told her to poison her husband, Lord Jon Arryn, and blame the Lannisters. Littlefinger saves Sansa by throwing Lysa out of the Moon Door of the Eyrie to her death hundreds of feet below and blaming Lysa's minstrel, Marillion, for the crime.

In the epilogue, Merrett Frey travels to a parley at Oldstones with the brotherhood without banners, who have taken Petyr Frey captive and are demanding a ransom. Merrett discovers the hanged corpse of Petyr Pimple, and the outlaws point out to the panicking Merrett that he was at the Red Wedding and helped in the murder of the guests. Merrett demands that they prove it by providing a witness. In response a battered figure appears and points at him. Merrett Frey is hanged next to Petyr, while the broken form of Catelyn Stark watches and hates.

On the Wall

The bulk of the strength of the Night's Watch sits on the Fist of the First Men, awaiting word from Qhorin Halfhand and Jon Snow. Suddenly three blasts are sounded on a watchman's horn. Three blasts means something not heard in nearly eight thousand years: Others. The Watch comes under attack by wights and the fabled ice demons of ancient history, suffering heavy casualties, but manages to withdraw in something approaching good order. Sam Tarly kills one of the Others with a strange blade Jon Snow fashioned for him from obsidian, or "dragonglass," he found near the Fist. The Watch regroups at Craster's Keep, but some of the less respectable members of the Watch mutiny and kill Lord Commander Jeor Mormont. Sam escapes in the chaos with the help of one of Craster's daughter-wives, Gilly, and they make their way south towards the Wall. They are helped by a strange figure riding an elk named 'Coldhands'.

Jon Snow is taken to Mance Rayder and is able to convince him that he has truly turned his cloak. He learns that the fabled Others have returned and are driving the wildlings south towards the Wall. Mance has been seeking the legendary Horn of Winter which will shatter the Wall when sounded, but has been unable to find it. Jon is unsure of this story. Eventually, Jon is sent south on a mission to scale the Wall, circle around, and attack Castle Black from the south to allow the wildlings through the gates. Jon instead flees from the wildlings and reaches Castle Black to warn them of the threat. With many of the other Watch members dead or missing, Jon is forced to command a skeleton defence against the wildlings, but nevertheless defeats them. Among the dead is Ygritte, who had been Jon's lover for a time.

Bran Stark and Jojen and Meera Reed, fleeing the ruin of Winterfell, are guided north by Bran's strange dreams of a three-eyed crow. They reach the Wall at the abandoned castle of the Nightfort, but cannot pass it. Suddenly they meet Samwell Tarly and Gillyin the castle. Sam guides them to Coldhands through a secret gate in a well, who will take them north, whilst he returns to Castle Black with Gilly, agreeing to keep the truth of their survival a secret.

The wildling army, over forty thousand strong, reaches Castle Black and assaults the Wall at that location. Jon leads a tenacious defence which sees thousands of wildlings killed, but it seems that the Watch must be overrun. Things get worse when Janos Slynt, the former commander of King's Landing's City Guard who was exiled by a suspicious Tyrion Lannister, arrives. As one of the betrayers of Eddard Stark, Slynt takes an instant dislike to Jon Snow and accuses him of being a traitor. He has Jon sent out to parley with Mance Rayder. Jon expects to be killed, but Rayder is more understanding of his betrayal. Jon is shocked to learn that Rayder found the Horn of Winter after all and is preparing to blow it. Suddenly horns are heard in the east and a great strength of cavalry attacks the wildling army, plunging it into chaos and putting it to rout. To Jon's disbelief, the surviving army of King Stannis Baratheon has arrived. Rayder is captured and imprisoned. Stannis reveals that he received word of the Wall's dire straits and that Melisandre believes the wildling invasion to be the forerunner of the return of the Others, the sworn foes of the red god R'hllor. Stannis resolves to forge a new kingdom out of the shattered, leaderless North. The Night's Watch chooses its new Lord Commander and Jon Snow wins by some margin.

In the East

Returning to Pentos by sea, Daenerys learns from Ser Jorah Mormont that large slave armies can be bought in the cities of Slaver's Bay: Meereen, Astapor and Yunkai. To Arstan Whitebeard's disgust - slavery has been illegal in the Seven Kingdoms for millennia - Daenerys buys the services of the Unsullied, the feared warrior-eunuchs of Astapor. When the slave lords of Astapor try to take one of Daenerys' dragons as payment, Daenerys has them burned alive. The Unsullied agree to serve her, whilst Daenerys has the slaves of Astapor set free. She leads a strong force north to Yunkai which forces the lords of the city to release their slaves into Daenerys' service. However, the lords of Meereen choose to antagonise Daenerys by killing 163 of their slaves and leaving each corpses staked at every mile along the road to the city. Daenerys besieges the city to no avail.

Daenerys discovers two traitors in her camp: Ser Jorah Mormont and Arstan Whitebeard. However, the nature of their treachery is very different. Mormont was selling information about her to Robert Baratheon up until they reached Qarth. Arstan Whitebeard is actually an alias of Ser Barristan Selmy, late of King Aerys and Robert's Kingsguard. Barristan wanted to right the ancient wrong of accepting Robert as his king by finding the true Targaryen heir to Westeros, but wanted to make sure the taint of madness had not affected her as her father. Daenerys offers both men the chance to make amends: by sneaking into Meereen through its sewers and opening the gates. They succeed and Meereen falls to Daenerys' armies. She forgives Barristan Selmy and makes him Lord Commander of her Queensguard. However, she finds she still cannot trust Mormont and has him banished from her presence. Learning that Astapor has fallen under the control of a brutal dictator who moved to fill the power vacuum she left behind, Daenerys decides she cannot allow that to happen to Meereen and resolves to stay, and rule, and learn to be the queen that Westeros needs her to be.

Characters

The tale is told through the eyes of ten main characters, a one-off prologue POV and a one-off epilogue POV character:

Notes

George R. R. Martin did not write the Red Wedding chapters until the very end of the book and having completed every other chapter, as he felt it was a painful experience to write.

Martin lost the 2001 Hugo Award for Best Novel to J. K. Rowling. Afterwards he made this comment about his fans: "Eat your heart out, Rowling. Maybe you have billions of dollars and my Hugo, but you don't have readers like these."[1]